Domestic Adoption Fraud in Florida UPDATED

“Kenyeta Tondorria Murray, 26, was arrested Monday morning for allegedly taking more than $15,000 from two parties that she had agreed to give her newborn baby to in an adoption agreement.

In a State Attorney’s Office investigation, it was found that in January 2011, Murray allegedly entered into an agreement for the adoption of her unborn child with an adoption agency. In March, 2011, Murray is accused of entering into another agreement for the same child with a different adoptive family.

The law does not allow an individual to collect money from more than one adoption entity at the same time without disclosing the existence of the other party.

Murry is currently being held in the Duval County Jail and was charged with adoption fraud and grand theft.”

Update: “A healthy baby girl was born inJacksonville, and two families were waiting to take her home.

Prosecutors say Kenyetta Murray used her child to steal from those couples instead.

“We named her Elise Desiree and we pray for her every night.”

Brook Wesley and her husband Mike never met the baby girl they already thought of as their own. They never got the chance. “Now looking back I don’t understand how anyone can be that cold to do that,” Brook told Action News. “ Not just to us, but to children.”

The Wesley’s signed an adoption agreement withMurrayand paid for her living expenses. What they didn’t know was thatMurrayhad already agreed to place her child with another family, and had been taking money from them for months.

Glenda Carr, Executive Director of Bundle of Hope Ministries, represented the second couple. Neither family knew of the other, until the hospital called. “The social worker called us to say ‘we’ve received a letter from you and also have notification from another attorney.’” Carr said.

Panicked calls to Kenyetta went unanswered, until days later, when she couldn’t hide from the truth anymore. Prosecutors say Murray, a mother of 5 children already, never intended to place her baby girl for adoption.

Murraywas arrested and charged with adoption fraud. The families were left with broken hearts. “I hated Kenyetta for a long time, that baby was mine. I truly felt that in my heart she was mine.” said Brook. She and her husband moved toTennesseeto start over. They now have three children, but everyday, they think about the baby girl they left behind.

The little girl is now 16 months old, she along withMurray’s five other children, live with their maternal grandmother.

Murray plead guilty to grand theft and adoption fraud, she’s set to be sentenced November 14th and faces 10 years in prison.”